Melbourne Airport Rail Link May be Closer Than First Thought
When given the green light from the State Government, a new tunnel and track will be built from the airport to an existing “commercial-use only” train line, which runs alongside the Western Ring Road between the Sydenham and Craigieburn train lines.
An elevated part of the track is visible on the Western Ring Road, between the Sunshine Road and Keilor Park Drive exits. The new train line would marry into the Sydenham line at Albion, in Sunshine, and stop at Footscray.
Airport land being reserved south of the main terminal puts to rest an alternative rail link proposal in 2001, which would have connected the airport to the Broadmeadows train station a new track to the north of the terminal.
The decision on when to build the rail link will depend on passenger arrival numbers to Melbourne Airport, which swelled by 2 million to 24.3 million in the 2008/09 year.
Its been reported arrival numbers need to be closer to 40 million per annum to make the investment feasible. Melbourne Airport forecasts suggest it could take that many passengers in about ten years.
In time, the Avalon Airport could also be linked into the existing V-Line Geelong service, which also passes through Footscray.
